Luke 18:40 Commentary and Bible Study

The Lord Jesus stopped and stood still. He was going to do something for Bartimaeus. He hadn't got time for every blind beggar by the roadside, but he did have time as he heard these cries. He noted the name by which the blind man had called him, and saw the faith in the heart of this man. He understood all his circumstances, and indeed he had passed by on that road, on that day, with the very intention of stopping to heal this man and to save his everlasting soul.The whole procession stopped with the Lord, and he sent some to bring the blind man (Matthew tells us that they were both brought). Mark records that they say to him, ‘Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee’ (Mark 10:49). Yes, comfort indeed, for the Lord never starts anything that he does not finish, and this attention he was giving to Bartimaeus was a clear indication to the messengers that Christ was going to do something wonderful for this man. They had considered this beggar as too insignificant to be troubled with. The procession was on its way to Jerusalem, as all knew, and they made a judgment about the Lord’s willingness to deal with this man, but they were wrong. Perhaps they thought they were doing it to protect him from trouble and unnecessary interruption, but his thoughts were very different. Christ’s compassion was far greater than theirs, and now that he was showing an interest in this blind man, their attitude immediately changed and aligned with his. There was no man who was sick or diseased or afflicted in any way, who sincerely called on him for help, who was not answered by the Lord. Therefore they gave Bartimaeus a word of encouragement – ‘He is calling you.’ That was the best thing that Bartimaeus could possibly have heard. Now he could catch up with the Lord; his hopes arose. Then the Saviour asks him this great question: ‘What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee?’ – what do you want me to do for you? Bartimaeus must identify his need, and it must be a worthy need. ‘And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight.’ Of course when the Lord asks a question, he always knows the answer in advance. He asks the question to draw out Bartimaeus. He asks the question for the benefit of the bystanders, and for our benefit. So with the crowd looking on, he says, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ The blind man must express his need, and we must make our requests to God out of an understanding of what is our greatest need. He says, ‘Lord, that I may receive my sight.’ He believed in the power of Christ, and he was being invited to put his trust in the Lord to do what was impossible for men to do.